Imagine finding something new in space that is even closer to the Sun than Mercury! That’s exactly what happened when an astronomer named Scott Shepard discovered a new object called 2021 PH27. He found it in Chile on August 13, 2021, and it’s now the closest known object to the Sun.
Scott Shepard used a special tool called the Dark Energy Survey (DES) to spot 2021 PH27. From Earth, this object looks like a tiny dot of light, which astronomers measure using a scale called apparent magnitude. The apparent magnitude of 2021 PH27 is 19, which means it’s not very bright when we look at it from our planet.
2021 PH27 has some really cool features about how it moves around the Sun:
Even though 2021 PH27 is smaller than Mercury, which is about 4,800 kilometers wide, it’s still pretty big. Scientists think it’s more than one kilometer wide. The Minor Planet Center, a group that keeps track of objects in space, officially named it 2021 PH27.
Finding 2021 PH27 helps us learn more about our solar system and shows how important it is to study space. Thanks to astronomers like Scott Shepard, we keep discovering new things about the universe. As we learn more about objects like 2021 PH27, astronomy remains an exciting adventure full of new discoveries!
Create Your Own Solar System Model: Use clay or playdough to create a model of the solar system. Include the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and the new object, 2021 PH27. Arrange them in order of their distance from the Sun. Discuss with a friend or family member how 2021 PH27’s orbit is different from the other planets. What makes it special?
Observe the Night Sky: On a clear night, go outside with an adult and try to spot some stars or planets. Use a simple star map or a stargazing app to help you identify what you see. Think about how astronomers like Scott Shepard use telescopes to find objects like 2021 PH27. What do you think it would be like to discover something new in the sky?
Calculate Orbital Speed: Let’s explore how fast 2021 PH27 travels around the Sun. If it takes 113 days to complete one orbit, how many orbits does it make in one year? Use the equation for the number of orbits per year: $$text{Number of Orbits} = frac{365 text{ days}}{113 text{ days/orbit}}$$. Discuss with your classmates how this speed compares to Earth’s orbit, which takes 365 days.
